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Zhihao Zhao

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2014 John J. Peterson Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Zhihao Zhao is a third year student from Beijing, China, double-majoring in Business Economics and Psychology and minoring in Mathematics. At UCLA, Zhihao has developed a strong passion for business strategy, entrepreneurship and education. He plans to bring his knowledge of developmental psychology to Chinese parents through a future start-up business. In addition, Zhihao is currently the External Vice President of Building Engineers and Mentors (BEAM) at UCLA and a circle docent for the Los Angeles Math Circle (LAMC) in the Department of Mathematics at UCLA. He is an undergraduate research assistant at the W.M. Keck Center for Neurophysics, studying the formation of spatial consciousness. He is also working on a psychology project under the guidance of Drs. Karen Givvin and Jim Stigler, comparing differences in the U.S. and Chinese Math textbooks and investigating how those differences influence students’ learning effects. To develop his business acumen, Zhihao has interned during the past summers at an economic consulting firm, Dezan Shira & Associate, a global leading market research company, The Nielsen Company, and a Fortune Global 500 industrial services company, Shougang Group. He enjoys playing racquetball and swimming in his spare time.

Future Plans: Zhihao is currently looking for internship opportunities in strategy consulting industries to gain more insights in business and management. He plans to obtain a MBA and a doctorate in education within the next ten years. After finishing those degrees, he plans to go back to China and establish his own schools to provide high-quality education to younger generations. The business will seek to establish schools that better encourage students psychological development and help remedy the widespread problem of psychologically inappropriate educational methods in China.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am very grateful and honored to be a recipient of the 2014-15 John J. Peterson Endowment Scholarship. I appreciate Mr. & Mrs. Peterson’s kindness and dedication to supporting higher education. To me, this scholarship represents much more than the wonderful financial benefit it provides to me and my family. I also regard this scholarship as an encouraging validation of my previous work and a mandate to pursue my career goal in entrepreneurship and education. I expect to bring the benefits of this scholarship to bear on schoolchildren and parents in China, which should ultimately make a positive impact beyond China as well.

Qianyi Zhao

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2014 The Ralph and Shirley Shapiro Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Qianyi Zhao is a fourth-year student pursuing a Business Economics and Statistics double major with an Accounting minor. Born and raised in Beijing, China, Qianyi was proudly nurtured in the traditional Chinese culture, until she came to UCLA at the age of 18. At UCLA, Qianyi discovered her strong interests in numbers and in regulations by taking Accounting classes and volunteering at VITA. These experiences led her to choose public accounting as her intended career. In her spare time, Qianyi likes to swim, play the piano, and cook.

Future Plans: Qianyi is preparing for the CPA exams and hopes to pass all four exams before she graduates in June 2015. Upon her graduation with College Honors, Qianyi will join the US Tax Consulting Group in one of the Big Four accounting firms in China. In her early years of career, she hopes to gain a deep understanding in the US Tax system and to build a strong client circle. Her ultimate career goal is to run her own tax advisory firm to assist Chinese private investors in doing business in the US.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I truly appreciate Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro’s generous support on my undergraduate studies and intended career in public accounting. The Ralph & Shirley Shapiro Scholarship will greatly help me prepare for the upcoming CPA exams. It encourages me to take courses through the UCLA Extension program. In the future, I hope to give back to UCLA just as Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro gave to me.

Nikita Zalevskiy

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2014 Robert D. & Margaret A. Wark Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Nikita Zalevskiy is a senior majoring in Business Economics with minor in Mathematics. He is originally from Kaliningrad, a small Russian exclave in the Eastern Europe. He immigrated with his family into United States in 2007 when he was 13 years old. Majority of his time in the United States he spend living in San Diego. Upon graduating high school, Nikita attended 3 community colleges before transferring to UCLA as a junior within one year. Nikita actively speaks and advocates on behalf of transfer students on campus. He is part of senior leadership in the Economics’ department undergraduate professional society Economics Roundtable. Nikita previously interned in a technology consulting firm Agile Systems, Inc. and The Walt Disney Company. In his spare time, Nikita enjoys reading, watching movies and following politics.

Future Plans: Upon graduation in 2015, Nikita is planning to start off his career as financial analyst most likely with The Walt Disney Company. After working for couple years, he intends to pursue MBA in order to pivot his career into strategic consulting. Long-term, Nikita hopes to be working in Corporate Strategy and Business Development in the technology or entertainment fields. One day in future, Nikita would like to develop his own company in those desired fields.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am enormously grateful for generosity of Wark family and recognition of my achievements by the Economics department. The pursuit of college education was not always in my reach. During the recession my family had to burn through majority of savings to keep our construction business alive. In order to secure some financial stability, I always held one or two part time jobs since junior year of my high school while pursuing education full time. This scholarship will allow me to devote more focus on pursuing my dreams instead of worrying about my finances. It will also help to reduce my debt burden that I accumulated while pursuing higher education. This incredible generosity inspires me to help others to pursue their dreams.

Danny Vivier

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2014 The Gumbiner Savett Inc. Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Danny is a fourth year Business Economics student from San Diego, California. He was raised by parents Dave and Joanne Vivier and has two younger brothers, Michael and Stephen. While attending UCLA, Danny has held leadership roles for the Undergraduate Business Society, Bruin Consulting, and the Disney Club of UCLA. In addition, Danny has completed several internships in the fields of wealth management, consulting, and investment banking. Outside of school and professional development, Danny enjoys landscape photography, UCLA athletics, and playing basketball. He is incredibly thankful and humbled to have been awarded the Gumbiner Savett Inc. Endowed Undergraduate Prize.

Future Plans: This past summer Danny completed a 10-week investment banking internship with Morgan Stanley. At the end of the 10 weeks he was offered a full time position post-graduation and immediately accepted. Danny plans to work for Morgan Stanley for the next two years before deciding to return to school and pursue his MBA, or continue in finance. If he chooses to return to school, Danny would like to attend a competitive university that would surround him with ambitious entrepreneurs who he could potentially partner with in starting his own business. If he chooses to continue in finance, Danny will likely pursue a career in private equity. Long term, Danny hopes to develop a career that services his life, rather than developing a life that services his career. He prioritizes faith, family, and friendship above all else and will allow those priorities to shape his professional ambitions.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Like all other recipients, this scholarship will go a long way in helping to reduce my financial burdens. It is a huge blessing to be able to receive an education from this university without drowning in debt. Thanks to this scholarship, help from my family, and summer work, I am blessed to say that I will leave college without a debilitating amount of debt. Furthermore, this scholarship provides a kind of recognition for all of my hard work over the course of the last four years. I am humbled by the award and encouraged to rightfully represent this university, this scholarship, and myself in the years to come.

Jonathan Trinh

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2014 Jeffrey W. Baus ’59 Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Jonathan is a fourth-year economics major with a minor in accounting and a specialization in computing. On campus, Jonathan has served on staff for the Higher Opportunity Program for Education, an organization committed to providing access to higher education to at-risk high school students, and participated in the pilot group of Assistant Directors for the Student Accounting Society. Currently, Jonathan serves as the Director of Training for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA at UCLA), where he manages a team of five trainers to prepare the organization’s volunteers in tax law and filing. VITA serves low-income individuals and families in the greater West Los Angeles community. In addition to his extra-curricular activities, Jonathan enjoys working part-time as a Program Assistant for the Executive MBA Program at the Anderson School of Management. In his free time not spent sleeping, Jonathan is an avid follower of reality television competitions and hopes to one day outwit, outplay, and outlast his fellow castaways on the CBS hit, Survivor.

Future Plans: Having done an internship with PwC this past summer, Jonathan will be joining the firm after graduation as a Tax Associate in the Los Angeles office. In the summer before he starts, Jonathan hopes to study, sit for, and pass as many sections of the CPA exam as time permits; he also hopes to sneak in a trip abroad somewhere in that time. Long term, Jonathan is thinking about obtaining an MBA but is currently approaching his career with an open mind, trying to learn as much as he can and seeing where his career trajectory may propel him.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I accept the Jeffrey W. Baus ‘59 Scholarship with utmost gratitude and appreciation. It is a privilege to be recognized for one’s achievements, and I am honored to have been bestowed such an award. With fewer financial complications, I will have the opportunity to reduce my work hours and redirect my efforts accordingly– this scholarship will avail me time to devote to my academic, professional, and extra-curricular careers here at UCLA, as I complete my final courses as an undergraduate, prepare myself to take the CPA exam, and further commit my time to my service through VITA. I am grateful to Mr. Baus for his continued generosity and sincerely thank him for the scholarship award.

Jiayin Tong

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2014 The Lawrence and Joan E. Henderson Fund Recipient

Biography: Jiayin Tong is a third year student from Singapore who is pursuing the Business Economics major, along with Accounting and Global Studies minors. Motivated to pursue a business career by enrolling in UCLA’s esteemed Economics department and have an opportunity to live independently overseas, she made the decision to study abroad. She has spent her time in college to the fullest, by actively participating and holding leadership positions in campus organizations such as Ascend, VITA and Economics Roundtable. She has also interned at Oppenheimer’s asset management group and Ernst & Young’s financial services advisory team, where she was able to learn and utilize her knowledge in the real work environment. In her free time, Jiayin enjoys travelling, hiking, cooking and music.

Future Plans: Following her previous internships at Oppenheimer and Ernst & Young, Jiayin will be joining the Business Advisory practice within the Financial Services Office at Ernst & Young after graduation where she will be engaged in management consulting work. In the long run, she hopes to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and also become a Certified Financial Analyst (CFA), using technical financial knowledge to provide business solutions to clients. Eventually, it is also her dream to open a restaurant or café down the road.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this scholarship. The award will help to relieve much of my financial burden of rising tuition costs, especially for an international student like myself, and allow me to pursue my educational and career goals with greater freedom and flexibility. The recognition and support given by the Anderson family have motivated me to continue working towards my goals with determination and never forget the importance of giving back to the community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Anderson family for their generosity and dedication in supporting students.

Weixiang Su

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2014 Jeffrey W. Baus ’59 Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Weixiang Su is currently a senior at UCLA with a major in Business Economics, and a minor in Accounting. While maintaining a high standard of academic excellence, his journey at UCLA has been one of active learning and growth. He is eager to take on additional challenges besides required coursework, and has participated in more than 8 professional case competitions throughout college. He is also one of the co-founders of a premier business networking club on campus, Ascend at UCLA. He loves to read, skateboard, travel, and try new restaurants.

Future Plans: After a successful internship at EY this past summer, Weixiang will be starting his career at the firm in the assurance practice after graduation. He plans on continuing his history of excellence and success by obtaining an MBA in the future, and continue to gain knowledge in business and global economy.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I am truly honored to have been selected as a recipient for the Jeffrey W. Baus ’59 Scholarship award. Mr. Baus himself was a partner at a prestigious public accounting firm prior to retirement, and I am beyond excited to start my journey on a similar path. The scholarship will allow me to focus more on my school work, and relieve me of the pressure of having to work part-time while having 26 units of classes in a single quarter. I hope to achieve success like Mr. Baus in the future, and give back to UCLA like he does.

Po-Jen Shih

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2014 The Donald Edward Bragg & Diane Sims Bragg Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Po-Jen (Teddy) Shih is a third-year business-economics major with minors in accounting and French. Proud of his Taiwanese and Canadian upbringing, he loves traveling, learning, and finding opportunities to practice his rusty French. He is actively involved in Alpha Kappa Psi, UCLA Athletics, Taiwanese American Union, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance. If any free time is left, you can find him attending to his collection of eccentric hobbies such as chess, bowling, and Pokemon research.

Future Plans: Po-Jen is attracted to the big-pictured strategic aspect of a business. He received a summer internship offer for Deloitte Advisory in the LA Office early this month. After his junior summer, he plans to graduate two quarters early to prepare for the CPA exam. Longer down the road, he aspires to gain enough experience to create a two-fold impact as a great advisor to his client and a greater mentor to future Bruins.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I feel humbled and privileged to Donald Edward Bragg & Diane Sims Bragg Scholarship. I would first off like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Bragg family. The scholarship not only allows me to focus on school and extra-curricular work without financial stress but also inspires me to work even harder on a daily basis. Paying international tuition is not easy; the scholarship certainly alleviates the burden. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Keren Li

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2014 Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting Recipient

Biography: Eric is a fourth-year student at UCLA, majoring in Economics as well as double-minoring in Accounting. During his time at UCLA, he has developed a great interest in the study of accounting. He is determined to pursue his career goal of public accounting; also in order to obtain the CPA credential, he has already accumulated over 225 quarter units, therefore eligible to sit for the exam by graduation day. Additionally, because of his prior internships in investment banks and other investment advisory firms, he doesn’t rule out the possibility of working for other financial services sectors.

Future Plans: Eric is expecting to finish his undergraduate study at UCLA in June 2015. Eric is currently interviewing with the Big Four accounting firms for full-time job opportunities in the area of auditing. Upon graduation and securing a full-time job offer, Eric hopes to start his career in a well reputable accounting firm, and learn from those professionals with unparalleled expertise. In the future, he plans to go back to school to pursue graduate study, likely an MBA degree, after three to five years’ working onsite.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: I would like to take this opportunity to thank the donor for her generosity in funding the Professor Harry Simons Endowed Undergraduate Scholarship for the Study of Accounting. I am beyond grateful and honored to be selected as the recipient this year. Like many students, I have had barriers and challenges to need to overcome; by awarding me this accounting scholarship, not only is my financial burden lightened, but I am also inspired to help others and give back to the community by the spirit behind this scholarship. I hope one day I will be able to help more students achieve their goals just as the scholarship committee has helped me.

Tyler Leung

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2014 Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Endowed Scholarship Recipient

Biography: Tyler is a senior at UCLA pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics. At UCLA, Tyler has had an opportunity to learn through coursework, internships and extracurricular activities. Aside from his studies, Tyler enjoys cycling, wrestling and participating in food challenges.

Future Plans: Throughout college, Tyler has interned across equity research, corporate strategy and investment banking. He will study abroad in London and Paris before working. Upon graduation, he will launch a career in investment banking.

What does the scholarship mean to me?: Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Bruce, their children and the Department of Economics for awarding me the Patricia and Harry L. Bruce Scholarship. This Scholarship will provide me with an opportunity to focus on school and truly enjoy my senior year. All of my internships throughout college have been secured with the help of alumni and this Scholarship represents another helping hand extended to me by Bruins, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce. Inspired by their generosity, I will extend a hand to Bruins that follow in my footsteps.